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TIN:
SCHEDULE O
(Form 990 or 990-EZ)
Department of the Treasury
Internal Revenue Service
(Form 990 or 990-EZ)
Department of the Treasury
Internal Revenue Service
Supplemental Information to Form 990 or 990-EZ
Complete to provide information for responses to specific questions on
Form 990 or 990-EZ or to provide any additional information.
Attach to Form 990 or 990-EZ.
Information about Schedule O (Form 990 or 990-EZ) and its instructions is atwww.irs.gov/form990.
OMB No. 1545-0047
2014
Open to Public
Inspection
Inspection
Name of the organization
GPS Innovation Alliance
Employer identification number
46-4171871
46-4171871
| Return Reference | Explanation |
|---|---|
| FORM 990, PART III, LINE 4 | The year 2014 brought with it continued issues and challenges to protecting and preserving the stable and quiet radio spectrum environment in which GPS and other satellite navigation services operate. In addition, we faced several issues of working to ensure the compatibility of new and emerging satellite and wireless services with GPS and satellite navigation both in the US and to a growing degree outside of the US. GPSIA maintained an ongoing dialogue with the US Government on the evolution of the management and regulatory structure governing GPS , as well as on technical aspects of designing and implementing new signal structures for GPS satellite signals. - GPSIA participated in workshops sponsored by the Department of Transportation and the Federal Communications aimed at investigating the potential for GPS signals to operate in environments with various types of signals and wireless services in radio frequency spectrum bands adjacent to the spectrum frequency bands allocated to GPS and other satellite navigations services. In the Congressional and legislative areas, activities during 2014 included monitoring federal and state legislative and regulatory policies related to Global Positioning Systems ("GPS"), including bills before the US House and Senate, state legislative bodies, and proceedings at all relevant federal and state agencies. Also during 2014, the GPSIA met with policy makers to provide educational information and advocate for the GPS industry and user community. - Researched and tracked the progress of geolocation privacy legislation. - Analyzed funding levels for GPS programs in the FY 2015 Department of Defense Appropriations bill. - Analyzed funding levels for GPS programs in the FY 2015 Department of Transportation Appropriations bill. - Monitored GPS related provisions in the FY 2015 Financial Services Appropriations bill. - Educated Congressional offices regarding GPS spectrum issues and advocated for spectrum policies that would best support the long-term success of GPS. - Monitored Congressional efforts to reauthorize the Telecommunications Act and participated in a House Energy and Commerce Committee whitepaper process calling for public comments on possible issues to be included in a new law. As a consequence of the continuing regulatory issues related to US spectrum management policy via the FCC and other Federal agencies, USGIC engaged in a larger effort than previously encountered to monitor these developments and prepare specialized filings within these agencies On the international front, two prominent issues continue to require attention and effort from GPSIA, each with the potential to introduce interference to the reception of GPS signals in critical safety of life applications such as air traffic management, and along the entire range of civilian and commercial applications. The first of these is an ongoing proposal in Europe to allow the deployment and use of outdoor and indoor pesudolites (substitute land-based transmitters that mimic actual GPS or other navigation satellites). Uncontrolled use of pseudolites can, in effect, introduce what appear to be false GPS signals to GPS receivers in use, and lead to erroneous position information. The signals from pseudolites can also, in some circumstances jam or prevent reception of legitimate GPS signals. To address this issue, USGIC has maintained a constructive dialogue with the European Commission and other European regulatory agencies of our concerns, and have proposed that any such pseudolites use signals in radio spectrum that is distinct and separate from the L-band spectrum currently used by GPS. In 2014 we saw significant progress in working with European authorities to prevent the introduction of in-band commercial pseudolites that would be problematic for satellite navigation systems such as GPS and the European Galileo system. A second source of concern over interference to GPS signals in the international arena arose from a proposal from Japan, the proposed IMES system, which can provide indoor location capabilities by using a series of repeater transmitters. Originally devised as a limited system for controlled indoor applications only within Japan, information from Japan indicated the possibility of efforts to expand QZSS applications to outdoor applications, as well as into markets outside of Japan. This raised our concerns over the potential for interference to GPS and other satellite navigation systems. We are continuing to monitor developments and to work closely with the Japan GPS Council to address any issue continuing or emerging issues in this area. There were also several issues raised during meetings of various committees of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) that had the potential to affect GPS. These issues included potential interference sources to GPS. Working in conjunction with US government and industry delegates to ITU working group and other meetings we were able to review the proposals and provide constructive input to help guide discussion and decision making. In Japan, the passage of the New Space Basic Law and establishment of the new Office of National Space Policy has placed the Japanese satellite navigation program - QZSS -- as an essential program for national infrastructure as well as for national security in Japan. As a result, QZSS was given a boost in importance and acceleration of schedule, as well as reinvigorated funding levels. We are continue to work closely with Japanese authorities to synchronize visions for QZSS/GPS compatibility and coordination in the years ahead, and with the development of future QZSS satellites. There is also an emerging vision at the GoJ policy level for an enlarged and enhanced QZSS-type system, which again would been to be coordinated with GPS interests. Further activities included: - Continuing approaches to Japan to point out potentially damaging interference from a proposed re-radiation system (IMES) to be used for indoor location techniques. - Participated in plans to organize the annual Munich Satellite Navigation Summit conference, hosted by the technical university of the German military. When the conference was cancelled due to unforeseen administrative factors, we worked with the organizers to devise a program for the following year conference.. - Monitored the activities and reports of two European telecommunications regulatory groups - ETSI and CEPT - noting the need for strict regulation of GPS re-radiators in order to avoid damaging interference to regular GPS users and applications. - Worked with the US State Department sponsored International Committee on GNSS (ICG) to provide background information on technical characteristics of commercial GPS receivers and overall market information. - Arranged for private meetings with key Japanese political leaders to consult on formation of new Office of National Space Policy under the Cabinet Office to oversee and direct coordinated overall Japanese space policy, including Japanese satellite navigation project, QZSS, which works in conjunction with GPS. - Conducted a series of meetings with senior level Japanese government officials to provide background information on GPS technical requirements and operational sensitivities in order to help guide Japanese initiatives with the US and other nations to provide coordinated supplements to GPS via QZSS. - Continued dialogue with heads of the Galileo program at the European Commission (EC) to address issues regarding fair and timely access to technical information necessary for US firms to incorporate Galileo capability in future receive designs on a competitive basis with European firms. This is in accordance with a US-EU agreement on GPS-Galileo Cooperation. - Tracked the evolution and continuing reorganization of responsibilities of the European authorities overseeing the Galileo program. Kept abreast of the changing responsibilities and personnel of the European Commission, European Space Agency and the GNSS Supervisory Authority. - Worked to develop agenda and program for meeting of Civil GPS Service Interface Committee meeting in Tampa, FL. Chaired session of the International Issues Subcommittee. - GPSIA continues to play an active role in the Civil G.P.S. Service Interface Committee (CGSIC), and works to assist in developing the agenda and program for meeting of the CGSIC. The annual meeting for CGSIC in 2014 was held in Tampa, FL. CGSIC was established by the Department of Transportation to maintain a dialog with the civilian user community on G.P.S. policy and management issues. USGIC members routinely provide briefings to meetings of the group. |
| FORM 990, PART VI, SECTION A, LINE 3 | THE ALLIANCE DELEGATED THE CONTROL OVER MANAGEMENT DUTIES TO A MANAGEMENT COMPANY, MIKE INTERNATIONAL, LLC. |
| FORM 990, PART VI, SECTION A, LINES 6,7A AND 7B | The Bylaws provide for two classes of members: Principal Members and Regular Members. The members are corporations or other entities; the directors are individuals named by the members. (Each Principal Member names two individuals as Board members; the entire class of Regular Members names a total of two Board members.) When the Alliance takes action that requires the approval of both the members and the Board under the governance documents (e.g., amendment of the Articles of Incorporation), evidence of approval by both the members and the Board is required. |
| FORM 990, PART VI, SECTION B, LINE 11B | THE FORM 990 IS PREPARED BY THE ALLIANCE'S ACCOUNTANT IN CONSULTATION WITH THE ALLIANCE'S EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND THEN CIRCULATED TO THE ALLIANCE'S OFFICERS(EACH OF WHOM IS A MEMBER OF THE ALLIANCE'S BOARD OF DIRECTORS) FOR REVIEW. |
| FORM 990, PART VI, SECTION B, LINE 12 | THE ALLIANCE BYLAWS PROVIDES THAT ANY MEMBER MAY RECUSE HIMSELF FROM PARTICIPATION IN ANY SPECIFIC ALLIANCE ACTIVITIES AND/OR ISSUE IN WHICH A CONFLICT OF INTEREST ARISE. IN ADDITION, THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS IS SMALL AND MEMBERS WORK CLOSELY TOGETHER AND WOULD BE AWARE OF MANY CONLICTS OF INTEREST. THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, UPON INFORMATION MADE KNOWN TO IT BY ANY SOURCE, MAY ALSO REQUIRE RECUSAL ON SPECIFIC ISSUES OR SPECIFIC ACTIVITIES BY ANY MEMBER. WE HAVE NEVER HAD AN INSTANCE WHERE SUCH CONFLICTS HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED OR RECUSAL HAS BEEN REQUIRED. |
| FORM 990, PART VI, SECTION B, LINE 15A | THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF THE ALLIANCE, ALL OF WHOM WERE INDEPENDENT BOARD MEMBERS, REVIEWED AND APPROVED THE COMPENSATION OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR WHOSE COMPENSATION REMAINED AT THE FIXED LEVEL OF $150,000 PREVIOUSLY APPROVED BY THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE WHEN THE ALLIANCE WAS FORMED. |
| FORM 990, PART VI, SECTION C, LINE 19 | ANY RELEVANT DOCUMENTS SUCH AS GOVERNING DOCUMENTS, FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, CONFLICT OF INTEREST POLICY, EXPENSE REPORTING, AND TAX RELATED FILINGS SUCH AS FORM 990 ARE AVAILABLE AT ANY TIME UPON REQUEST TO OUR OFFICE FOR DISCUSSION AND REVIEW. |
| FORM 990 PART IX LINE 11G | DESCRIPTION:PUBLIC RELATIONS SERVICES TOTAL FEES:262212 |
For Paperwork Reduction Act Notice, see the Instructions for Form 990 or 990-EZ.
Cat. No. 51056K
Schedule O (Form 990 or 990-EZ) 2014
Additional Data
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